Victorians, Napthine slam push to make Melbourne a smoke-free city

UPDATE: VICTORIANS join Premier Denis Napthine in rubbishing a bid to make lighting up in the CBD illegal for pedestrians, building site workers and diners.

CHRISTOPHER GILLETT, JOHN MASANAUSKAS, MATT JOHNSTON

HeraldSunMay 15, 20143:23pm

VICTORIANS have joined Premier Denis Napthine in rubbishing a Melbourne councillor’s plan to make the CBD a smoke-free place.

Many took to social media to vent how money could be better spent, saying the council needs a reality check.

“Melbourne has the highest rate of ice users in Australia, it’s the party drug capital of Australia and crime is sky rocketing. Smoking isn’t the problem that needs to be fixed, get your priorities straight,” reader, Pete, wrote on theHerald Sun Facebook page.

Another reader, Rowan, agreed, saying: “In this day and age as more people, and mostly young people turn to taking hard drugs, cracking down on a legal drug such as having a cigarette makes so much sense! Lawmakers, get your priorities straight!”

They join a majority of readers who believed there were more pressing issues to tackle.

“Melbourne City Council want to enforce this ban, can they also ban beggars, idiots and drunks from the CBD?” Michelle Walker wrote.

“I have not smoked for many years now but don’t think this is a good idea. I agree with Michelle, there are other pests in the city who are a blight on Melbourne,” Jim Henderson said.

The comments echo the thoughts Mr Napthine expressed on radio station 3AW this morning.

If the radical plan for a total smoking ban within three years went ahead, Melbourne would be one of the world’s first cities to have a smoke-free CBD.

Dr Napthine said the Government had already moved to ban smoking on beaches and train platforms.

He said the council could create by-laws to make smoke-free CBD streets happen, but that the laws would be “unworkable”.

However, Melbourne City councillor Richard Foster said most of the council supported the moves to make Melbourne one of the world’s healthiest cities.

Smoking would be illegal for pedestrians, footpath diners and even building site workers anywhere in the Hoddle grid bounded by Flinders St, Spencer St, Spring St and the Queen Victoria Market.

Smokers would have to gather in designated shelters.

City lane The Causeway is already a permanent no-smoking zone and council has approved up to six more.

Cr Foster said the final step would be an entirely smoke-free CBD, which could take effect before October 2016.

News_Rich_Media: Smoke-free Melbourne CBD

City shop manager Betty Karlis, 48, a smoker, was also unimpressed.

“I think there should be sections where people can smoke,” she said.

“I think it has got to be fair for everyone, but have a bit of respect for other people who are having lunch,” the Glen Waverley woman said.

Another reader, Dean, also slammed the radical plan on Facebook, saying it would impact international tourists’ desire to visit.

“This will do absolute wonders to attract tourists to our city, especially the Europeans. What happens when the tourism dollars drop dramatically, how will we supplement that? More taxes? More speed cameras?” Dean wrote.

Peter joined in the rant, saying he “should be able to smoke where I like.”

“Oh the hypocrisy, tell you what, either make it illegal and do us all a favour, or leave it alone, if it’s legal and the largest beneficiary is the Government,” he added.

“As a non-smoker all of my life, I even find this proposed ban ridiculous!” Carl Tielens wrote.

Cities around the world ban smoking in certain public areas, but it’s believed a CBD-wide ban would be a first.

Cr Foster, a former smoker, said he could see Melbourne becoming a smoke-free city in this term of council.

Motions at Melbourne City Council need the support of six of 11 councillors to pass, and Cr Foster said he was confident he had majority support.

Some councillors could not be reached.

Others expressed differing levels of support for the scheme.

Cr Jackie Watts said a citywide ban with designated smoking areas was inevitable.

“As a public safety and public health issue, one imagines it would be the direction thinking people might go,” she said.

“Most people don’t smoke and all people should not be subjected to passive smoking.”

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said his mother died of lung cancer so he didn’t need to be recruited to the anti-smoking cause.

But he said any policy change should be incremental.

“If we can show traders and businesses, just as happened in pubs and restaurants, that this doesn’t detract from your business ... then bit by bit we will win that battle. But our aim this year is to do six (no-smoking zones),” he said.

Council set aside $340,000 to expand smoke-free areas in its latest budget. A total ban may cost a further $500,000.

Environment portfolio chairman Cr Arron Wood said a ban would be hard to enforce but he’d support smoke-free alfresco dining areas “pending all the detail stacking up”.

Green Rohan Leppert said council was heading for a city-wide alfresco smoking ban, but a state ban would be better.

Council’s sole smoker, Ken Ong, said he’d back bans only in special and justified cases, but not in popular alfresco dining precincts like Lygon St.